I can't say enough good things about Robert. This was my first time in a professional studio atmosphere and he went out of his way to make it feel as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. I am very, very pleased with our finished product as I was with the entire process. Cannot wait to work with Robert again!

We always wanted to have an experience with a real profesional sound engeneer. Now we've got it! Experience with Robert was great! Robert brought magic to our song. We look forward to a new opportunity to work with this master! We highly recommend Robert!

Robert is great and highly professional. the dialogue is clear and Robert immediately understands what must be done to sublimate your composition. I really enjoyed working with Robert and would recontact him for other projects without hesitation. If you are looking for an impeccable result you can contact Robert you will be delighted by his work !

Robert was a wonderful help to me on this project. When you need advice from the best, Robert's your go to guy! He will be honest and helpful in finding what best suits your needs. Cant thank him enough.

It's very rare that you find someone who understands your vision better than yourself. When I met Robert, honestly, I did not expect to work with someone who is just that. Someone who would well exceed all of my expectations...and then some. This is the first project I am actually proud of releasing. So, thank you so much Robert for bringing my vision to life and for being a truly dear friend!

Working with Robert was the best experience I've had so far in a studio. Everything was smooth and easy going, it was like we've known each other for years. He completely understood the vibe I wanted the song to have and made it happen. The whole process was fast and the results are THE BEST!

Robert is very patient and easy to work with. With two teens who didn't know a lot about what they needed or wanted, together we all worked to produce a very sweet charity album. He's been helpful throughout the process, and the musicians he chose were wonderful as well.

Robert is a delight in every way. Professional, easy to work with, responsive and super talented. I'm incredibly pleased with the mixes he did for my album and I can't wait to have another project to work on with him! :)

I had the opportunity to work before with some of the most famous on linemastering . Of course their work is good, but Robert took this project to the next level. He really got THE sound for my track in the first version. There is nothing I needed to ask for in a review... The track is perfect. Can´t wait to have the chance to work with him again!

Working with robert was great, we were able to jot down the final version quite fast. The minor setbacks that werent sounding well in the first version i was able adjust in the mix and resend to him. He was both honest and upfront concerning the mixing and mastering and i look forward to working with him again!:)

Robert has helped us to an amazing degree with our album, consistently going well above and beyond for us! We are extremely happy with our sound across the album, which feels like a coherent and professional body of work thanks to him :) His skill and patience have brought so much to our songs, and we are hugely grateful. Highly recommended! :)

Robert L. Smith IS King!!!! He's the best there is. He's responsive, tells it like it is, and aims to please. The end result is always the same, a perfect result. He takes your sound to a whole new level. I keep coming back again and again. He's addictive for sure.
Ieshia

Robert is a patient Pro:
His is patient with you because he knows what he's doing and "all types " that have come his way" He takes each project to heart..He take pride in his work therefore he wont take "Short cuts with yours" A complete pro,with a sense of humor (That is a must in this field.) There is NO other Pro !! Best Ed Genovese Co

Robert is literally a musical genius - Yoda of the music industry. You can bring your rough, raw, piece of crap to Robert and he will turn it into something more amazing than you could've ever imagined it. Aside from the work, he will mentor you, teach and guide you patiently. He is a master craftsman - best choice you will ever make is go with him

It's a genuine pleasure to review Robert. He got the job done and, in fact, exceeded my expectations. He is also very efficient and responsive to any queries or questions and that came as a surprise considering that he must be extremely busy. To top it all off he's one of the nicest people I've communicated with in the industry. I highly recommend!

Sir Robert is a true professional in his craft...100% delivered on this track, he did a fantastic job on my mix, great quality and speedy work Absolutely wonderful person to work with. Great communication skills for someone who must be extremely busy doing what he does best.!!

One of the nicest guy you'll ever work with, very patient, polite and professional. He did a great mix and master, I'm so happy with the results. Thank you for the privilege Robert, you got a new friend now.

It was a pleasure to work with Robert!
Robert is very professional in every aspect of his work. Mixing was done to the highest industry standards and quality of work really stands out. This is the first time when I received truly spotless mix. I hope to work with Robert going forward!
Robert, thank you very much!

Once again Robert has been wonderful to work with, he's invaluable when it comes to polishing up my songs, while also patiently answering my questions along the way. Absolutely looking forward to my next project with him! Thanks again Robert.

Robert was consulting me on my project.
He is very professional and knowledgeable.
In particular, I was impressed that he was always available when his opinion and professional help was needed. He would always get back with his recommendations within very short time.

I enjoyed to work with Robert. He is a gentle and professional person. He guided me to work smoothly, and often advised me about mixing, sound level and effect. I would like to work with him again in the future.

Robert mixed and mastered a second song for me and it came out amazing! I really enjoy working with Robert. A total professional, nice guy and great at what he does. Looking forward to working with Robert again in the near future.

It was a pleasure and an honor to work with Robert on this song. The mix was perfect on first pass and the mastered version is perfection. Very professional, fast responses, polite and genuine. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Robert is strongly dedicated and has both the drive and expertise to lift recordings to a brilliant level. He is easy to communicate with and always strives to deliver a mix which is in line with the ambience and feeling we want to convey.
Accord de Voix can't get enough - if you're in doubt, choose Robert!

After my hobby-project grew into a heavily layered song, I knew I'd need a professional to help get my mix to sound balanced and polished up. From the beginning Robert was extremely helpful, informative, and quick with correspondence. I learned a lot during the process, so excited to have a track that sounds this professional. Thanks!

Robert L. Smith was an absolute pleasure to work with. He's mega-talented, detail oriented and totally in-sync with the needs of the song and vision of the client. Professional, prompt and enthusiastic. I would definitely recommend him and I look forward to working with him in the future.

I had an amazing experience with Robert who taught me a lot, and who gave me mind-blowing mixes. Robert was patient and ultra cool. He explained things that most people on his level would not do. I am honored to have worked with him, and look forward to working with him on my 2nd project. I picked the absolute best!

Robert L. Smith is a dream to work with. He is friendly, artistic, and very customer-oriented. Working with Robert on this project was one of the best experiences of my professional career, and I expect to work with him for many years to come.

Amazing results!! I hired Robert to finish my barebones song (drums, piano, vocals only). He did an absolutely awesome job arranging guitars, synths, bass, and finishing the mix to professional quality. He maintained 100% communication and transparency from the beginning sharing each rough mix along the way and responding to my feedback.

It was such a wonderful experience to work with Robert. We flew to New York to record with him and we had so much fun getting to know him and he was super helpful and supportive throughout the project, a true pro and we just can't thank him enough for everything he did to help us and the songs all came out great!!! Robert you're awesome!

Robert from the off has been the most incredible professional and gentleman, giving our song the attention to detail and dedication that we could only wish for! We are indebted to his experience and expertise in bringing our song to life, and we are extremely proud to have worked with him. We can't recommend him highly enough! :)

The truth in of a great production lies in being able to play it back over again and be just as excited as the first time. Having said that I have done terrible things to the replay button. Unspeakable things. The mastering of this project is incredible.

From this day onward I will forever preach the gospel that is Robert L Smith. Yay for he is the truth. He raised my music from the dead. Not in 3 days but 24hrs. Forsake these sinful amateurs and accept him into your life and into your mix.

Robert is an amazing mixer. He pays attention to details and listens to suggestions. He was extremely patient and dealt with the project in a professional manner. It was a pleasure working with him and I hope our paths will cross again!

Robert is an excellent producer, engineer and mixer. He produced and recorded a very challenging vocal for me for a dense remix. Not only does he have a highly trained ear and an incredible sense of what will work, he also has a great energy that made me feel very relaxed and able to give my best. I look forward to working with Robert again soon!

I have been working with Robert Smith at Defy Recordings for over 15 years and I trust his intuition implicitly. He brings musicality out of my playing that I didn’t even know I had sometimes! Be it classical, singer-songwriter, soundtrack or balls-to-the-wall rock, for producing, engineering, mixing and mastering you can’t get any better. Period.

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by Noah Hoffeld

Robert is the consummate professional. Whether working with him at Avatar Studios or in his home studio, I've always had amazing musical experiences. Robert creates a beautiful sonic landscape in all the music he touches, and I've worked with him on a range of genres. He's also a beautiful dude to be around- lots of laughs and good vibes.

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by Mike Leslie

Robert is everything you want as an ally in the recording studio. His vast experience, world class abilities and the incredible taste he exhibits in everything he does, allows any artist to achieve a finished product that most of us couldn't even allow ourselves to hope for.

I have worked with Robert as a keyboardist, arranger, and writer on a number of projects he's produced and mixed, and I can honestly say he is the best at what he does. Whether you're a Grammy winner or an independent artist just starting out, Robert will approach your project with the same dedication, and you will be THRILLED by the results.

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by Roderick Allen, jazz composer and producer

Robert is a fantastic engineer and producer. In addition to his skillful ear, He is also incredibly nice and easy-going, taking plenty of time to consult with his clients regarding their projects. I feel very confident giving him full control over my mixes.

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by Joseph Portuondo

Robert mixed and produced my song! He has a fantastic ear! He is very professional, He is incredibly nice, will give you insight on what the song needs, he is very polite and always on time! I am looking forward towards working with Robert again in the future!

Absolutely Recommend!

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by Jadhiel Asaph

I'm from Brazil and i sent my mixes to Robert. He was very attentive, awsering our e-mails very quickly. He's work have exceed our spectations. Very fast, very competent. I really reccomend him.

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by Josh Hayward

I have known Robert for a while now and his mastering of my mixes is always great. He retains dynamics while also enhancing width, impact and tightening things up just a bit more. I recommend Robert/Defy Recordings for mastering before anyone else. Turnaround time is very fast too.

Robert mixed my EP of 5 tracks. He did a great job and was very fast. He always replied almost in real time to all my emails. I arrived to him after a bad experience with another facility. I highly reccomend him. If my EP will have success he really contruibuted to it.

Interview with Robert L. Smith

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: Too many to list. The key is to be open to every possibility, adjusting my role as needed.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: The Hustle. Always. It's that fine line of running a business and helping artists make their best work.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: The one that inspires me to do my best work

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: Ones that would be answered by some basic research. Please do some homework before you decide to hire an engineer, producer, mixer or mastering engineer. The experience can be a great one with some basic knowledge.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: Started recording when I was 11 years old. I've been improving my skill set professionally for 30 years.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Josh Dodes, Malcolm Gold, Tim Leitner and Clara Lofaro

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I'm not 'done' until I think its as great as can be.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My process revolves around the client's needs. Its all about creating an environment that is conducive towards creativity. That includes making the gear 'disappear'. Once an artist starts questioning gear choices, we're doomed. Its never about the gear, its about the music. If I'm working on my own I have a usual method that allows me to be very productive. A mix is a solid day's work, with a second day to touch up the mix. There's always some little thing I catch on that second day that I want to change. I prefer to mix on my own, the mixes always come out better that way. I'd rather have the artist see the 'big picture' of the mix than the minutiae of the mechanics of it.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: "Anyone can do it". Incorrect! Production, recording, mixing and mastering are highly skilled careers. Buying software and a microphone does not make someone an engineer, mixer or mastering engineer. If you want your music to sound 'professional', hire a professional.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: 1. Budget 2. Goal. The two answers affect the entire process

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Transparent

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

"Where can I begin... I was so happy and impressed by what you did with
the tracks. This whole album/process has truly taken me to highs and
lows and to hear it finally, at last, in it's entirety has been a huge
relief and I'm so proud of it!!!! I literally broke out in tears of joy
and feel so honored that you have given me such a fantastic master.

Here's a short clip of some of the gear I use here at Defy RecordingsDec 15, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn0zHNwUsJQ

Grateful to Director Rob Mead for the video documentary!Nov 24, 2016

http://defyrecordings.com/about/

Investing in your own brand is the smart thing to do...Mar 24, 2015

You know you're doing something right with your brand when clients
recite it back to you. "Just like your slogan: Great Music. Period."

More Duran Duran mastering today...Mar 05, 2015

Always fun mastering these songs!

20 Feet From Stardom wins Grammy!Feb 09, 2015

Best Music film win for documentary film. proud to be a part of it. Congrats to the cast and crew.

If you haven't checked out FabFilter, you're missing out!Jan 23, 2015

http://www.fabfilter.com/artists/robert-l-smith

Congrats to "Twenty Feet From Stardom" for the Grammy nomination for Best Music Film!Dec 05, 2014

Congrats to "Twenty Feet From Stardom" for the Grammy nomination for Best Music Film!